Western Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame
Clyde Simmons - Football - (1982-85)
A leader on the Catamount defensive line from 1982-85, Simmons ended his career a Catamount second in TFL's and third in sacks. At the time of his induction, he ranked ninth on the Catamounts all-time list for total hits as a lineman. Following a stellar 1985 season, Simmons was named first-team All-Southern Conference and first-team All-America by the Football Coaches Association. Simmons was drafted in 1986 by the Philadelphia Eagles and enjoyed a 15-year NFL career in which he was a numerous time Pro Bowl selection and was NFL leader in sacks in 1992. Simmons returned to WCU to complete his degree requirements and graduated in May 1996. After retiring from the professional football ranks in 2000, Simmons worked outside the game until 2008 when he began his coaching career at Greater Atlanta Christian School as the defensive line coach. In 2010, he accepted a position with Rex Ryan, for whom he played for in Arizona in 1994, as a defensive intern coach on the New York Jets staff. Two years later, he parlayed that position into an assistant defensive line coach job with the St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams in 2012. In the winter of 2019, Simmons returned to Cullowhee to join head coach Mark Speir's staff as the defensive ends coach.
